Joseph (son of Jacob)

Joseph (1808 BC-1698 BC) was the son of Jacob and the Vizier of Egypt. He was the father of one of the Twelve Tribes of Israel.

Biography
Joseph was the first son of Jacob and Rachel, and he was preferred by his father over his eleven male siblings. When he was seventeen, Joseph had visions that he was betrayed by his brothers, and most of his brothers (except for Reuben and Benjamin) attempted to murder him out of jealousy. The instead decided to sell him into slavery to Potiphar, captain of the Pharaoh's guard, and he became Potiphar's personal servant and then his household superintendent. After he refused Potiphar's wife Zuleika's advances, Zuleika made a false accusation of rape and ensured his imprisonment. The warden put Joseph in charge of the other prisoners, and he soon supervised the Pharaoh's cup-bearer and chief baker after they were also thrown into prison. After advising the Pharaoh to store surplus grain, he became his Vizier, and he married Asenath, fathering Manasseh and Ephraim. When his brothers later visited Egypt to buy grain, they met Joseph, who recognized them, despite them not recognizing him. He accused them of being spies and put them in prison for three days, and he demanded that they bring their youngest brother (Benjamin) to Egypt as proof of their honesty; he took Simeon as a hostage as they went on their journey home. When they returned, Joseph hid money in their sacks to frame them for theft, and he decided to take Benjamin as his slave. Judah offered himself in his stead, and Joseph - overcome with emotion - wept and revealed that he was their brother. He then asked for his brothers to bring the family to the province of Goshen in Egypt so that they could survive the famine, and Jacob blessed the Pharaoh before the family settled in Goshen. Jacob died after blessing Joseph, who forgave his brothers. He died at the age of 110, living to see his great-grandchildren.